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CHICAGO – The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±app (), selected five books as finalists for the 2022 William C. Morris Award, which honors the year’s best books written for young adults by a previously unpublished author. YALSA will name the Morris Award winner virtually at the Youth Media Awards on Jan. 24, 2022, during the ’s virtual LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience.

The 2022 William C. Morris Award finalists are:

“Ace of Spades” written by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé and published by MacMillan, an imprint of Feiwei & Friends. 978-1250800817.

“Firekeeper’s Daughter” written by Angeline Boulley and published by MacMillan, an imprint of Henry, Holt and Co. 978-1250766564.

“Vampires, Hearts, & Other Dead Things” written by Margie Fuston and published by Simon & Schuster, an imprint of Margaret K. McElderry Books. 978-1534474574.

“Me (Moth)” written by Amber McBride, published by MacMillan, an imprint of Feiwel and Friends. 978-1250780362.

“What Beauty There Is” written by Cory Anderson and published by MacMillan, an imprint of Roaring Brook Press. 978-1250268099.

“The 2022 Morris Committee selected this year’s finalists after many hours of spirited virtual deliberation.,” said Patty Gonzales Ramirez, chair of the 2022 William C. Morris Award Committee. “This year’s debut authors delivered many diverse and incredibly written stories; choosing just five titles was a challenge. Our finalists cross genres, covering realistic fiction, fantasy, mystery, and crime drama, and all five are characterized by excellent storytelling.”

The Morris Award is named after William C. Morris, an influential innovator in the publishing world and an advocate for marketing books for children and young adults. William “Bill” Morris left an impressive mark on the field of children’s and young adult literature. He was beloved in the publishing field and the library profession for his generosity and marvelous enthusiasm for promoting literature for children and teens.

More information on the finalists and the award can be found on the Morris Award page. Publishers and library staff can purchase finalist seals to place on the finalist titles at www.ala.org/awardsgrants/seals.

For more information on the Morris Award or YALSA’s other young adult literature awards, please visit www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists.

Members of the 2022 William C. Morris Award Committee are: Chair, Patty Gonzales Ramirez, Dallas Public Library (Vickery Park Branch Library), Dallas; Kit Ballenger, Help Your Shelf, Chevy Chase, Maryland; Rebecca Caufman, Radford High School Library, Radford, Virginia; Michelle Cheng, O'Neal Library, Mountain Brook, Alabama; Beth Davis, Berne-Knox-Westerlo Middle/Senior High School, Berne, New York; Kara Hunter, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, Charlotte, North Carolina; Beth Kirchenberg, River Forest Public Library, River Forest, Illinois; Ellen Wickham, Raytown South High School, Raytown, Missouri.

The mission of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) is networking, advocacy, and professional development. The Young Adult Library Services Association empowers all those involved in the profession to provide equitable, diverse, and inclusive teen services. For more information about YALSA or to access national guidelines and other resources go to www.ala.org/yalsa.